For more than twenty-five years, the United States and Iran have been diplomatically estranged, each characterizing the other not only as a political adversary, but also as devious, threatening, and essentially evil. According to William O. Beeman, such demonization is a self-fulfilling prophecy, as both countries have embraced exactly the policies and rhetoric that would particularly threaten or insult the other. Drawing on his experience as a linguistic anthropologist, Beeman parses how political leaders have used historical references, religious associations, and the mythology of evil to inflame their own citizens against the foreign country and proposes a way out of this dangerous debacle.

About the Author
William O. Beeman is professor and chair of anthropology at the University of Minnesota. He has also worked as a consultant to the United States Department of State and Department of Defense. He is the author of Iraq: State in Search of a Nation and Language, Status and Power in Iran.

Reviews
"William Beeman's analysis of dissonant perceptions of Iran and the United States is compelling and important.... I am particularly grateful for this work." - James Peacock, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "[Beeman] is more interested in informing the reader than in impressing his peers. The other strength of the book lies in the author's knowledge of Iranian history and culture.... It challenges the reader and forces him to question stereotypes about Iran and Washington's perspective on the country." - Abbas William Samii, Middle East Journal"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226041476
Author William O. Beeman
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 482g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 15mm * 2mm